my chicken coop

[Ronnie2]

I went over to take the traveling cage I borrowed from my neighbor, who is going to have knees surgery. He waited to long, and is bad shape. He wanted to go see my new flock, so we rode over in the mule, and he gave me some good pointers about the coop. My son built it, and did a good job, im proud of it, and he's happy im using it. I'll post some pictures, have to look around to see how to post them here. I have to go get some of the boards I had cut at local sawmill from the pine trees that were either blown over, and cut them to go between the rafter tails. Neighbor said the coons & possums will climb up and go right in, thats the project for today. My son said they thought about it, but never had any trouble, but being retired and have a wood shop on the farm, another project, along with building more bat house's I build to put on my place. Got to finish my coffee to go pick up the eggs.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I went over to take the traveling cage I borrowed from my neighbor, who is going to have knees surgery. He waited to long, and is bad shape. He wanted to go see my new flock, so we rode over in the mule, and he gave me some good pointers about the coop. My son built it, and did a good job, im proud of it, and he's happy im using it. I'll post some pictures, have to look around to see how to post them here. I have to go get some of the boards I had cut at local sawmill from the pine trees that were either blown over, and cut them to go between the rafter tails. Neighbor said the coons & possums will climb up and go right in, thats the project for today. My son said they thought about it, but never had any trouble, but being retired and have a wood shop on the farm, another project, along with building more bat house's I build to put on my place. Got to finish my coffee to go pick up the eggs.

Sounds good.

Is there a particular bat house design that you like to use? We have a couple bats that hang around our property and obviously they must have somewhere to hang out but I thought about making a bat house.

 

[Ronnie2]

Call Barnes & Noble and see if they have a Bat House Builders hand book, thats where I bought mine years ago. I build the 4-chamber, hold around 500 Mexican free tail bats. I always build tow back to back separated by 2-7/8? Galvanized pole, thats inclosed on the sides, with a metal roof covering both. With the bole in the middle I grove the backs of the houses to attract bigger bats. Once I saw about a dozen gray bats, rare to Texas, and they are cave dwellers. I get a mirror with the sun, and go see how many and where located, they use all the spaces. I have 1-back to back built and they over winter in it, and one single house in town, that I have seen them hanging out the bottom, but leave in the winter. I am now building another pair of houses to be one hundred from the other, and its fun to see them fall out just before dark. It's a sight to see them all flying around at twilight in the mornings going back up into them. I will also remodel the single in town to be a back to back on rainy days in Texas, ha ha, seldom happens.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Call Barnes & Noble and see if they have a Bat House Builders hand book, thats where I bought mine years ago. I build the 4-chamber, hold around 500 Mexican free tail bats. I always build tow back to back separated by 2-7/8? Galvanized pole, thats inclosed on the sides, with a metal roof covering both. With the bole in the middle I grove the backs of the houses to attract bigger bats. Once I saw about a dozen gray bats, rare to Texas, and they are cave dwellers.  I get a mirror with the sun, and go see how many and where located, they use all the spaces. I have 1-back to back built and they over winter in it, and one single house in town, that I have seen them hanging out the bottom, but leave in the winter.  I am now building another pair of houses to be one hundred from the other, and its fun to see them fall out just before dark.  It's a sight to see them all flying around at twilight in the mornings going back up into them. I will also remodel the single in town to be a back to back on rainy days in Texas, ha ha, seldom happens. 

Oh wow! So with them on the pole, so you put it in the middle of an open space, like for purple martins, or near trees or a building? I always thought they are supposed to be hung on the sides of buildings, though then you have the poo to deal with.